The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-09-08


Jack was not yet home. Once when the two
were sitting there together Jack had laugh.
ingly remarked: "You want to carry your.
self straight at this time Of day. youns
man, for can look over into your room
and see what you are about a. plain -
see you here"
Il was the memory Of this remark which
hurried him to Jacks window. Sure enough,
the sun was just sinking behind the further
roofs and his own room was flooded with
the roseate light. He was in time TO zee the
door there open and Jessie comein. Barclay
was up, in dressing-gown and slippers,
looking wonderfully improved sinca
the morning, but probably he was changed
to her eyes, for she broke down and
began to cry when she saw him. Tom gritted
his teeth, and fell to wondering what they
were saying to each other. Whateveri It was,
Jessie was soon comforted, for she began tn
sparkle and flush and smile in q way which
he knew we'll, which had warmed his heart
and drawn It out toward her often. but that
heart now lay cold and heavy as lead. He
did not think 1t could grow heavier,
Leonard and STOPPING down, kissed him.
Then Tom covered up his eyes and swore a
great oath. Course him, curse him, curse
him! I'd like to kill him!
How that thought grew and filled him |!
There was pistol on Jacks table. Tom did
not know that it was empty and the cylinder
rusted fast; he only thought how easy it
would be to send ball crashing into his
rivals brain. The demon of murder was
awake in him. Time and again he perpe-
trated that bloody deed in his thoughts be-
fore he tore himself away from the place,
rushing from the house and the neighbor-
hood as if he dare not trust himself further.
He was so tired that he could scarcely drag
one foot after the other by the time he came
back. It was close upon midnight. Nearly
all the lights in the houses were out, but
this was town which had natural gas, and
standpipe at the end of the street sent out
its far-reaching glare showing him patient
figure sitting upon the home steps. It was
warm night, and his mother had come out
there to wait for him he was all she had,
her hope her staff, her pride; and instead
of feeling self-reproach for the anxiety which
his absence had given her, he was impatient
when he saw her rise and come toward him
Is she recognized his approach.
There was a dim light burning behind the
glass in the entry, but all at once it flashed
and spread with tremendous glow, and the
force of terrific explosion burst out wln-
dows and doors. Instantly he knew what
had happened. Some defect of the plumb
ing had allowed the natural gas to escape;
it had filled the cellar first, then risen and
spread until it reached the light in the hall,
and this was the result which had followed.
The house was old and dry as tinder. In
scarcely more time than it takes to tell it the
whole building was wrapped in one sheet of
flame.
While Tom stood still and gazed with ap-
palled eyes at that spectacle Of swift destruc-
ton, his mother wrung her hands and ran
to him, shrieking:
"Oh, Tom, he's there; he's lost Poor,
poor Mr.. Leonard"
And at the same instant Leonard appeared
at the shattered upper window and looked
down upon the barrier of leaping, quivering
flame which stretched between him and
the ground. There seemed no escape for him.
He saw Tom and lifted his hand in gesture
of farewell.
Where now was the murderous spirit which
had swayed Tom Golden? Gone as he faced
the deadly peril which menaced the other
gone utterly a. he saw the look of resignation
on Leonard's face. A hoarse cry welled up
into his throat, and he found voice to shout,
ITO the roof! To the roofl"
It is doubtful II Leonard heard amid the
fierce cracking of the flames, but he seemed
to understand, for he turned and disap-
peared, and then Tom went tearing through
the next housewives inmates were aroused
and panic.stricken-up, up until he burst
out upon the roof there, and with run and
leap across the intervening space gained
that of the burning building. Leonard had
not reached it. Tom found him at the foot
of the crisping, charring ladder which led
to the scuttle, overcome by heat and smoke,
roughly when they reached the top.
"For Gods sake, get little life in you.
We've got that jump to make an l can't do
It myself. Here, give me your hand; if you
fall, III I'll, 60 20 " with you. Now quick, or the
Hoy Snt it Tu Ess dome sa nehs. S..S could
side Of safety, with Leonard there. too,
but quite senseless now, and grand
display of fiery banners streaming heaven
ward as the falling roof lent herceness
to the burning. It was q surprise to Tom
afterward to find that he had some severe
that Leonard was the brighter of the two
next morning and was up the first. for they
had found refuge together in Jacks room,
which Jack insisted on giving up to them.
Awake, Tom? Then hurry, for think
we will have visitor this morning."
Noneed to ask who, his face told, and fash
II won't see her." re muttered.
"Look here. Barclay, last night sets us
your winnings afore me; the devil might
come up in me again. an jest now I've got
him down. Let us part company while there
Is peace between us. ! don't blame you any
her up; I'm willin' TO believe you tried"
can did it, Tom"
at looks like it," cried Tom scornfully,
with her comm to see you an'-kissing
you," he had very nearly added, but caught
the words short, changing them to YES
terday."
II see I'll have to tell you that there was a
sort O. foolish boy-an'- girl promise betwixt
Jessie an me, an after t'other accident she
felt as how she'd have to live up to 1t jest be-
cause I'd happened to save you, who she
liked the best. That's the woman's way, to
martyr theirselves, and she'd a-done it, too.
only I'd seen into her mind an knew; an
true kindness to purtend that way. an the
one that come first to her heart must come
first to her hand. which ! knew it wasn't
me. She come right away then to thank me
an to say that she hadn't been either honest
Or true, for shame at her bein' such light
little thing an changin' so-thst's what she
seems that she heard Of the fire. an that
you was bad hurt helpin' me-which I'm
an here she is"
With which explanation Leonard went out
a. Jessie came in. Perhaps he had not a.
sured her of Toms entire safety, for the dut-
tn In and ~ hop "a